


So Casually Cruel

by marysreddress



Category: Reign (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:21:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28548531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marysreddress/pseuds/marysreddress
Summary: Francis and Mary are sitting together watching Pride and Prejudice but when Mr Darcy doesn't ask Elizabeth to dance Francis takes it up upon himeself to ask Mary.Modern Frary AUTitle from song All Too Well by Taylor Swift
Relationships: Mary Stuart/Francis de Valois (Reign)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	So Casually Cruel

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like this little story lmk if you guys have any other one shot ideas.
> 
> heavily ib by the dancing scene in AWAE

Mary was sitting next to Francis on the couch.  
Francis was at her house.  
Francis was at her house alone.

Mary awkwardly shuffled back on the couch resting her arm against the red pillows not taking her eyes away from the movie that was playing on the tv. She had picked out Pride and Prejudice, much to Francis’s disgust. He kept complaining that it was a completely unrealistic and cliche movie, which Mary replied with an in-depth argument about Jane Austen’s excellency as an author and how she captivated the differences and the likenesses between Mr Darcy and Elizabeth. To which Francis only rolled his eyes and laughed at her going full nerd mode.  
She always liked how they acted together, the subtle and friendly teasing. Although she never stood a chance against Francis’s quick wit but she liked to think she could try, and even though she would never win the battle he never failed to make her laugh.  
Did Mary have a massive crush on Francis?  
Yes.  
Did he know?  
No.  
How could she bring it up? They were best friends. They had been best friends for years. Since they rekindled their friendship after bumping into each other at the cinema they had been hanging out non stop. Going to the beach, watching movies, going to the waterpark. But now he was here. Sitting in her living room, wearing a blue pair of jean shorts and a loose fitting white shirt with the top two buttons undone.  
“So what’s happening here.” Francis asked turning to Mary whilst pointing to the screen.  
“Liz has just met Mr Darcy for the first time. Did you hear before Mr Darcy talking to Mr Bingley whilst Jane and Liz were listening? Thats why Elizabeth turned around and said ‘Even if ones partner is barley tolerable.’” Mary stated matter of factly. Francis screwed up is face turning between Mary and the tv. She turned to give him quick questioning glance raising her eyebrows at his ridiculous expression, and he did look ridiculous.  
“So she falls in love with this prick?!” He finally exclaims shaking his head. Mary knew he was just trying to get on her nerves. He would always tell her it was the joy of his life seeing her cute angry face.  
“Yes yes keep watching, and he’s not a prick!”  
“He is acting like one, he won’t even dance with her.” Francis continues, watching for her reaction. After a few moments of no reply Francis gets up off the couch and starts pushing the coffee table to the side before turning to reach out his hand to Mary.  
“What are you doing?” She laughs softly slowly standing from her seat.  
“I’m asking you to dance your Majesty.” He wiggles his eyebrows and spins around on the carpet. Mary lets out a laugh as he starts jumping around and clicking his heels together, his golden curls bouncing around and covering his face as he moves.  
“Francis! Stop, stop.” She giggles reaching out to take his hand.  
“Let me help you before you break something.” Mary continues dragging him out of the way of the tv. They stand across from each other in the middle of the carpet both waiting for the other to make the first move. Slowly Francis moves in closer to Mary letting out a little laugh.  
“Please, I’m a way better dancer than you.” Francis teases putting his hands around her Mary’s waist and pulling her closer to him. She tenses up at his touch trying to hid her face as the blush breaks through her cheeks. He looks down at her with a massive cheeky smile plastered across his face. Slowly she eases into it putting her hands around his neck.  
“Prove it!” Mary spat shaking her head. They start swaying together to the faint sound of the music coming from the tv. She had to admit he wasn’t the worst dancer.  
His hands on her waist felt so natural, so comforting. Like somehow they had been dancing together for years, like it was their special thing. Francis took his hands off her waist, spinning her around making Mary chuckle softly as she fell back against his chest. Suddenly Francis lifted her up in the air slowly turning around. She locked eyes with him coming down and could sense a change in his face. His eyebrows furrowed together as if he was thinking and Mary stepped back out of his reach.  
“W-what’s wrong.” She stuttered shuffling back further to get the distance back between them. He stood there frozen staring back at her a mix of emotions on his face.  
“I-um” Francis looked angry, and confused. His whole body had tensed up and his knees started to shake. His eyes locked onto hers and the eye contact was unbearable. Mary had never seen him like this, and never before had his anger been directed at her. She didn’t even know if he was angry he just stood there looking back at her not even speaking.  
Mary starts shaking as tears threaten to fall from her eyes. He hadn’t moved at all. They were just dancing and then…..this. Why was he acting like this? Her mind started racing thinking over everything she could have done to upset him. He initiated the dancing. 

His breath grew heavy and Mary could hear it from where she was standing. Francis opened his mouth to speak suddenly trembling before closing it again at a loss for words.  
She swears for a moment is eyes drifted to her lips before he abruptly turned back to the couch grabbing his stuff.  
He scrambled to the kitchen pulling his phone off of the charger Mary following close behind him.  
“Francis!” She shouted after him tears now streaming down her face. He didn’t even turn back before she saw the blonde curls disappear behind the red front door. Mary slides down to the floor clutching tightly onto her knees letting out a quiet sob. 

-/-

He grabbed her hand pulling her up off the couch. There was a little hesitation before he put his arms around her waist and she returned by putting hers over his neck. They danced around her living room laughing when Mary would accidentally stand on his feet or trip over. She never was the most coordinated person in the world, something that Francis would always remind her off. It made him laugh when she would stumble in his kitchen knocking over the bin, no matter the amount of years she had been coming to his house. His little nickname for her was giraffe legs, although he knew it wasn’t one of her favourites.  
Her hands were soft as he grabbed them and spun her around, breaking into a makeshift tango. She leaned in closer to him nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. Her breath tickled against his neck making him smile against her. He had always wondered what it was like to be this close to her. To feel her warmth against him. Yes they had been friends for years but she always seemed to be awkward when it came to close contact, never staying in a hug for too long or even sitting too close together.  
The music slowed and they started to sway side to side, dancing like they were royalty at a grand ball. He mimicked the dance moves he had seen from those period drama movies they used to watch back in Mary’s history phase, turning around each other and switching sides to the music.

Francis spun Mary around up in the air watching as her face lit up from excitement. He stared into her eyes, that shone like gold from the setting sun. The freckles that looked like they were perfectly dusted over her cheeks, and her raven hair pulled back into a loose pony tail. He never really had the opportunity to admire her beauty, and to him she was just that.  
Beautiful.  
One thing he hated most about his childhood with Mary was the girls in their prep class who would bully her for her looks. The days she would run to him in the playground crying and wishing her hair was blonde, and her eyes blue. Hit hurt him seeing her upset but hurt him even more at the thought that she couldn’t see the beauty in herself that he saw.

Suddenly, as though his brain was finally able to unlock something hidden away, his brain filled his thoughts with a vivid picture of a girl dancing. She spun around on the bed hands up in the air as feathers fell around them. She only looked around six or seven but her dark loose waves already reached her hips. The girl seemed so familiar, the moment felt so familiar. The sounds of children’s giggles filled his ears and stumbled back a little.  
Mary.  
It had always been Mary.

The realisation crashed over him in full force knocking him off guard. Perhaps he had always known but now he had to face it, face Mary. She was his best friend, why would she ever think of him as anything more than that?  
He stared into her eyes hoping somehow he would just know what to do or know what to say just like Mr Darcy, or all those other horrid romance movies he was roped into watching.  
She truly was beautiful, and that scared him. He was scared of rejection, of ruining the amazing friendship they had.  
Her eyes started to water and he couldn’t take it anymore. He was hurting her just like those girls had in primary school, he needed to think. Needed to get rid of this fantasy in his head that he and Mary could have something more.  
He raced into the kitchen, adrenaline drowning out the sounds of her calling behind him.  
And then he was gone.  
Mary didn’t follow him out the door.  
She didn’t chase after him.  
That probably hurt Francis the most.  
As he sat down on the steps outside Mary’s house he let out a sigh burying his face in his hands. Francis didn’t know how long he had been sitting there till the sun started to set. He could no longer hear Mary’s breathing from the other side of the door, he didn’t remember when it stopped. It was just him alone on the empty street with his mind still racing with thoughts.  
He pondered the idea of going back inside. He knew Mary was home alone tonight and he would be able to say what he needed to say. Or at the very least apologise for running out earlier. But every time he got back to the door he hesitated at the handle and turned back to sit down. The words that raced around his brain seems to disappear as soon as he touched the handle.  
The light in her bedroom was turned on and Francis wondered if she thinking about everything too. Was she wondering why he left? Did she notice his glance at her lips? Did she feel the way he felt as they were dancing.  
He knew she must have felt it too. Every-time their hands touched it was like he was burning, and whenever they were apart he longed for her touch again. It was like his whole life he had been dying of thirst till they met, till he held onto her waist keeping her upright and warm. Like her breath against his skin was as important as the air he breathed, and her smile was the greatest gift on earth. He couldn’t explain how much it broke him to see Mary cry, how much worse it was that he was the cause. He never wanted to see her tears again, never wanted to feel the pain of her sadness.

Francis got up to the door one last time. Reaching over to the doorbell pressing it before he could allow his brain to flood with doubt. A gentle jingle started to fill the house before it was quickly after followed by quick footsteps down the stairs.

-/-

Mary is in her room pacing when she hears the doorbell ring. She didn’t see Francis sitting out the front of her house for hours, or the amount of times he backed out of ringing the door bell. She grabs a hoodie off the back of her desk chair and pulls it over her Peter Alexander pyjamas.  
Mary jogs down the stairs over to her front door. She knew her parents weren’t coming home tonight and her brother James was out with friends so he wouldn’t be coming home, the only other person she could think of that might be coming over is Kenna.  
When she opened the door she was hit with the last person she would expect.  
Francis.  
His hair looked disheveled, like he had been running his hands through his hair and he wore the same clothes as before. She froze as the realisation dawned on her. Had he not gone home? Had he been waiting outside her house for 3 hours?  
Francis stood there with an apologetic smile on his face tapping his feet on the floor.  
“Um..hi.”  
“Hi.” Francis replied softly. He rocked back and forth on his heels obviously feeling the same awkward tension she was feeling. Since Francis ran out the door earlier most of Mary’s evening had been spent thinking about him. She couldn’t escape the memory in her head of his eyes flicking to her lips. Did he want to kiss her? A thought that she had replayed so many times she started to wonder whether it even happened at all. Did she just make up the look he gave her? Or was it simply her mind allowing her to entertain this fantasy that he indeed felt the same way towards her that she felt for him.  
“Do you want to come in?” Mary asked noticing Francis start to shiver from the evening breeze. He gave her a little smile in reply before following Mary inside, and back into the living room.  
They both sat down next to each other and stared at the ending credits of Pride and Prejudice still frozen on the tv.  
“I’m sorry about earlier.” Francis mumbled, he didn’t look up from his lap as he spoke those words. Mary could tell that he was sincere in what he was saying. One thing she valued most in him as a friend was his honesty, not once had he ever lied to her.  
“Its alright.”  
The silence hung heavy in the room, like the thoughts buzzing around each of their heads. The look on his face showed he had more to say but couldn’t quite put it into words. She wanted to ask him why he left, but she too couldn’t quite figure out what to say. He had never looked at her like he had earlier, with so much anger. But she didn’t know wether he was angry at himself or at her because for a moment there when he glanced at her lips he looked at her as though she was the only girl in the world.  
“Can I ask you a question?” He finally spoke breaking the silence between them.  
“Only if I can ask you one in return.” He let out a little laugh of relief in response to Mary’s cheeky look. She was trying to lighten the mood, and thank god it was working.  
“Why didn’t you come after me when I left? Or at least call or text?”  
To be honest she too didn’t know the answer. Never before had she felt so distant from Francis as when he was staring back at her in her living room. He had a new look on his face she didn’t recognise and it threw her off balance.  
Francis face started to grow confused by her reaction. Mary was still, head down thumbing with her shirt.  
“I-I’m sorry I should go.” He stuttered slowly moving off the couch.  
“No!” Mary reached for his hand squeezing it tightly as he lowered himself back down. Francis stared at their joined hands going to speak before he stopped himself. Mary let go of his hand quickly bringing it back to her lap. Her hand burned a little and even though her hands were by her side she could still fill his touch around them.  
“I don’t know.” She replied softly still not locking eyes with him. Mary’s answer was an honest one although she could see Francis was a little hurt by her answer.  
“I guess I didn’t think you wanted me to.” She added after a while when he didn’t go to speak.  
Francis hummed in reply nodding his head slowly. The silence slowly crept back into the room yet this time it was a comfortable one. They both sat side by side thinking to themselves.  
“Earlier today before you left and you where staring at me, did you want to kiss me?” The words came out of her mouth quicker than she could fully think about what she was saying. Her face mimicking Francis’s as he looked up at her a little shocked by her words. The sun had now completely set and his face was only slightly lit my the moonlight shinning through her window. She couldn’t quite make out his full expression but it didn’t look angry. She expected him to be mad, or at the very least confused. Mary waited for the rejection she knew was coming.  
The “Mary I love you but..”  
After a some time with no response Mary spoke softly her voice starting to shake.  
“Are you upset?”  
Francis quickly turned to face her. His face now looking more empathetic. He slowly moved closer up to her on the couch, their thighs now gently touching. His touch sent a shiver up her spine and Mary turned to look up at him.  
“No.” He spoke softly, now looking Mary in the eye.  
“Did you want me to?”  
“What?” Mary’s breath grew quicker as his hand moved to rest on her thigh, tracing slow circles onto her bare skin. She looked into his eyes and was met with the same look that had plagued her mind all afternoon since he left. The one he gave her right before running out the door, the one that gave her hope he felt the same way as her. The look that was as if she was the only one on his mind.  
Francis started too lean in closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face as she started to close the distance between them.  
He starts brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. Francis doesn’t take his eyes off her own as he continues to move closer to her.  
She doesn’t remember when she stopped breathing, why was she finding it so hard? Mary feels Francis’s hand drifting to her back pulling her in closer to him. She goes to speak but is cut off by Francis’s lips meeting her own. It’s soft and tentative as Mary starts returning the kiss, her arms reaching around his neck reaching at his curls. She was kissing Francis, Francis was kissing her. Suddenly all her worries about earlier that day had left her brain and she just thinking about one thing.  
Him.  
They only broke apart once they were both running out of air, and they sat together foreheads touching listening to the rhythmic sounds of their owns breaths. Francis reaches out and holds both of Mary’s hands in his own, rubbing his thumb along the inside of her palm. Never before had someone been able to make her feel like she did with Francis, just the gentle caressing of her hand was enough to warm her entire body.  
“Yes.” Chuckles Francis softly answering her question.


End file.
